Choose your menu based on photorealistic 3D models of dishes presented on your table? Eat a dinner that was prepared by a robot and also being served by another robot named Ginger? Those are just some of the rising technologies that have started to change our dining experience in a restaurant and might become even more popular in the future. 

During the last years, online ordering systems, delivery apps, contactless payment and online table reservation systems became standard and are now being used by a lot of restaurants. But what is next? 

Let’s start with the ordering process of your dish: this step is likely to become very interactive in the future. HoloLamp is the first portable device which offers a glasses-free and hands-free augmented reality experience that creates optical 3D illusions. In case of an adaptation in a restaurant, it can display the dishes directly onto your table which allows you to better imagine and choose what you will eat. After having flipped through the virtual menu card, you can put together your courses by using your hands and drag and drop the items into a specific row. 

Another way of ordering your dish in the future might be via Pepper, a waiter robot. He can move independently, has an iPad placed on his chest that displays the menu and is actually able to interact with you and even inform you about the nutrients of the dish you ordered. The payment is conveniently made by credit card from your mobile phone. Pepper has another robot friend called Ginger who is able to carry trays to serve the guests. In Shanghai there is already a restaurant that is fully operated by robots.

Moving on to the cooking process, which is normally carried out by a chef, it is needless to say that robots will also be used in this area in the future. Besides automatic cooking assistants that prepare a dish in only three to four minutes, there are several “menu-specific” robots. Flippy for example, a “burger-roasting” robot has all necessary skills to fry the burger patties according to their needs and even flip them after a certain time. Other robots are able to prepare a pizza including all the necessary steps from preparing the dough to cutting it into individual pieces and packing it into the box. Another technological invention is called Sally, the salad robot which is a fully automated salad bar where you can choose from various ingredients and put together your salad freshly.

The fast-food industry even goes one step further. KFC installed a face recognition application in their ordering touchscreen displays that also remember what each specific customer ordered the last time. And with Briggo, the first automated coffee kiosk without any staff being present, also coffee shop concepts are likely to be revolutionized in the future. 

The benefits of those technology-based cooking assistants include the reduction of mistakes during the preparation process of the dish, a decrease in food waste and it also allows restaurants to save money and reduce the number of staff. Furthermore, the order period can be reduced while the time until food is being served to the guests will be speed up. 

In summary, it can be said that digitization improves the efficiency of restaurant operations and facilities and will continue to revolutionize the restaurant industry. However, there are certain aspects that might be controverse. While some experts state that the automated processes allow the staff to attend to their guests in a more personal manner, others say that the personal contact will be totally lost in case where guests are only attended via digital solutions and robots. As a result, guests may reduce or even skip tipping because they no longer receive personal service. Moreover, the costs for the acquisition, maintenance and servicing for the technological innovations are very high and need to be calculated carefully. Furthermore, if everything is being automatized, a dish will lose its personal touch and finishing by a dedicated chef. 

Let’s see if digitalization spreads in the restaurant industry as it has in other areas of society. So, stay open and curious in order to best enjoy the dining experiences from the future. 

Rafaela Eiholzer

Sources: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTjuC_nLq8U
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQkmFZQ-2SA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRHqxQK3CX8
https://hospitalityinsights.ehl.edu/restaurant-technology-trends
https://hololamp.io/

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